7 Dinner Recipes That Will Have Your Tastebuds Rooting for Rutabaga

Rutabaga is abundant during the winter months, making it the perfect vegetable to work into your cold-weather meals. The Kitchn notes that the root vegetable is a cross between cabbage and turnips and when eaten raw, tastes crisp, juicy, and slightly bitter. Rutabaga truly shines in cooked dishes, where it contributes both sweet and savory flavors while adding a lovely golden hue to your meals. From a creamy Rutabaga Chipotle Soup to Shepherd’s Pie with Rutabaga Topping, these 7 recipes showcase rutabaga’s exceptional flavors and versatility. You’ll be rooting for rutabaga after preparing these dishes!

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1. Roasted Rutabaga

Roasted Rutabaga is the perfect complement to any dinner entrée. It adds simple, savory flavors to your plate, while providing you with several noteworthy nutrients. SFGate notes that rutabaga is a rich source of vitamin C, zinc, and dietary fiber.

2. Mashed Rutabaga with Sour Cream and Dill

Simply Recipes’ Mashed Rutabaga with Sour Cream and Dill is a comforting side dish that will stick to your ribs during winter’s coldest months. It’s also quite easy to prepare; boil the rutabaga, mash it, add butter, sour cream, and seasonings, serve, and enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 to 3 pounds of rutabagas, peeled and chopped into 1-inch chunks

Salt and black pepper

2 teaspoons butter

¼ cup to ½ cup full-fat sour cream

2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill or chives

Directions: Cover the chopped rutabaga with about 1 inch of cold water and bring to a boil. Add a pinch of salt and boil until tender, about 30 to 40 minutes. Drain and return to the pot. Reduce the heat to low and let the rutabaga steam for a minute or two. Mash with a potato masher. Add the butter, sour cream, salt, and pepper to taste. Mix in the chopped dill or chives just before serving.

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3. Rutabaga Oven Fries

Using only a touch of oil, you can turn your rutabagas into golden-brown, perfectly crisp fries. AllRecipes.com’s side dish yields four servings. We suggest pairing your healthy fries with Affairs of Living’s Lentil Rutabaga Burgers.

Ingredients:

1 rutabaga, peeled and cut into spears

1 teaspoon olive oil

4 sprigs fresh rosemary, minced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 pinch salt, to taste

Directions: Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Combine rutabaga spears with oil, minced rosemary, garlic, and salt. Toss until evenly coated. Lay rutabaga spears onto a baking sheet, leaving space between for even crisping. Bake until rutabaga fries are cooked through and crisped on the outside, about 30 minutes.

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4. Rutabaga Chipotle Soup

Tangy rutabaga flavors pair well with spicy chipotle and a rich, creamy base. The Kitchn cautions that chipotle is an extremely hot pepper, so proceed with caution when adding it to your Rutabaga Chipotle Soup. Start by adding ¼ teaspoon to your soup, stir, and taste, and continue adding small amounts until you reach your desired heat level.

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons butter

1 medium yellow onion, diced

2 celery stalks, diced

2 large rutabagas, peeled and diced

4 cups broth of choice

2 cups heavy cream

¼ to 1 teaspoon dried ground chipotle

¼ teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon ground white pepper

Salt, to taste

Directions: Melt butter in a large pot and add onion and celery, cooking until browned. Season with salt. Add the rutabaga and the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until the rutabaga is fork-tender, about 30 minutes. Add the chipotle and the white pepper. Stir well. Process in a blender or food processor until smooth, and pass through a fine mesh sieve to remove any chunks. Stir in the cream and taste. Gently simmer for 15 minutes. Add more salt, white pepper, chipotle, or paprika if you think it needs it.

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5. Maple-Glazed Rutabaga

Cooking Light’s Maple-Glazed Rutabaga combines sweet and earthy flavors in this delicious side dish, which yields four servings. Health Benefits Times notes that rutabagas are high in antioxidants, reduce your risk of cancer, aid in digestive health, and can help you lose weight.

Ingredients:

¼ cup maple syrup

1½ teaspoons butter, melted

7 cups (½-inch) cubed peeled rutabaga

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

Cooking spray

Directions: Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Combine syrup and butter in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add rutabaga, salt, and pepper; toss to coat. Spread rutabaga mixture on a jelly roll pan coated with cooking spray. Bake for 35 minutes or until rutabaga is tender, stirring occasionally.

Directions: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the rutabagas until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the rutabagas to a large baking sheet and let cool. Add the parsley to the boiling water and cook until tender, about 4 minutes. Drain and let cool slightly. Squeeze dry and coarsely chop. Melt the butter in a large skillet. Add the shallots, jalapeños, and garlic. Season lightly with salt and pepper and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes.

Add the stock and cook over moderately high heat until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add the cream and simmer over low heat until reduced by one-third, about 8 minutes. Stir in the parsley and simmer until thickened, about 4 minutes. Season generously with salt and pepper. Butter a 10-by-15-inch glass baking dish. Arrange half of the rutabaga slices in the dish. Season with salt and pepper.

Using a slotted spoon, cover the rutabagas with the parsley and pour half of the cream over the parsley. Top with the remaining rutabagas and pour the remaining cream over them; press gently to even out the slices. Cover with foil and bake for about 1 hour, or until bubbling. Position an oven rack 6 inches from the heat and preheat the broiler. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese over the rutabagas and broil, rotating the dish as necessary, until browned, about 2 minutes. Let cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.

Source: iStock

7. Shepherd’s Pie with Rutabaga Topping

Warm up on frigid winter evenings with Martha Stewart’s Shepherd’s Pie with Rutabaga Topping. This recipe was adapted from The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook: The Original Classics and yields 10 servings.

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Tie celery, rosemary sprig, thyme, bay leaves, and garlic in a small piece of cheesecloth to make a bouquet garni; set aside. Heat a wide, heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat until hot. Melt butter, and brown meat in two batches, taking care not to crowd the pieces or they will steam and not brown; transfer meat to a bowl using a slotted spoon and set aside. Add onions; cook until slightly softened, about 8 minutes. Return meat to pan and sprinkle flour over the meat and onions, cook about 1 minute, stirring often.

Add wine, and bring to a boil, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen the brown bits. Add the stock and bouquet garni, bring to a boil, cover, and cook on low heat until meat is tender, about 1½ hours. Remove the lid after 1 hour; add carrots, and cook, uncovered, for the last 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Place rutabagas and potatoes in separate saucepans; cover with cold, salted water. Bring to a boil and simmer until tender, 30 to 40 minutes for the rutabagas and 25 minutes for the potatoes.

Drain; return to the saucepans to dry out any moisture from the vegetables for a few minutes. Put the rutabagas and potatoes through a food mill fitted with a fine disk, or ricer, or mash by hand. Add butter, as desired, and enough hot milk to make a creamy purée. Season with salt and pepper; stir in chopped rosemary. Remove bouquet garni; transfer stew into deep 2-quart baking dish. Top with purée; dot lightly with butter. Bake 1 hour, or until top is brown and crusty. Serve hot.